Portable grain and hay elevator



Jan. 16, 1951 c. B. GRAHL 2,538,303.

' PORTABLE GRAIN AND HAY ELEVATOR .Filed March 51, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Carl 8. Grah/ JNFVENTOR.

Jan. 16, 1951 c. B. GRAHL PORTABLE GRAIN AND HAY ELEVATOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 51, 1948 Jan. 16, 1951 c. B. GRAHL PORTABLE GRAIN AND HAY ELEVATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 51, 1948 Carl 8. Grab! INVENTOR.

M MW Patented Jan. 16, 1951 UNITED STATES rs'rnm OFFICE 3 Claims.

what may be considered herein as the lower or forward end, the hopper being foldable upwardly and rearwardly onto the top of the frame when it is desired to hitch the conveyor to a motor vehicle, this hopper having an endless conveyor incorporated therewith, no disconnection of the conveyor or hopper bein necessary in order to pivot the hopper into operative or inoperative positions.

Another object of this invention is to provide improved means whereby one end of an elongated conveyor may be raised and lowered, the carriage having ground contacting wheels and being connected to the elongated frame by a rigid member which is pivoted to the frame and winch and cable means bein provided to shift the carriage pivotally with reference to the frame thereby raising and lowering one end thereof.

Still another object of this invention is to provide cradle means incorporated with the carriage and adapted to cooperate with rigid mem bers connectin the axle of the carriage to the frame in order to support the mid-section of the frame when the winch and cable means is in inoperative position.

And a last object to be mentioned specifically is to provide a portable elevator which may be easily adapted for use in handling many different types of material, including bulky material such as baled hay, which is very safe and convenient to operate, and which will give generally efiicient and durable service, while being relatively inexpensive and practicable to manufacture.

With these objects definitel in view, this invention resides in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of elements and portions as will be. hereinafter described in the specification, particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a material part of this application, and in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the assembled elevator;

Figure 2 is a side elevational View of the assembled elevator, a corner portion of a bin being represented in dash line;

Figure 3 is another side elevational view of the elevator with the hopper folded upwardly and rearwardly onto the top of the frame of the elevator and with the other end of the elevator lowered, as when the device is being transported while hitched to an automotive vehicle, which vehicle is fragmentarily represented in the figure; V Figure 4 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view through the hopper and adjacent structure at the front end of the elevator;

Figure 5 is a similar longitudinal vertical sectional view of the other or upper end portion of the elevator, the figure including a portion of the spout incorporated therewith;

Figure 6 is a transverse vertical sectional View, taken on the 1inee6 in Figure 2;

Figure '7 is a similar vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 'l'l' in Figure 4;

and, r

Figure 3 is an enlarged view of a drive shaft assembly having a slip clutch incorporated therewith, this structure being also represented in Figure 1.

Similar characters of reference indicate similar or identical elements and portions throughout the specification and throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the environment wherewith this invention is adapted to be used, includes a motor vehicle of truck type, generally indicated at ill in Figure 3, this vehicle having hitch means l2 adapted to connect with the hitch means Hi on the forward end of the main portion of the elevator frame.

main portion of the elevator frame will be hereinafter designated merely as the frame l6 and will be seen to comprise an elongated trussed frame in which the trusses l8, transversely disposed fioor supporting members 20, longitudinally disposed floor members 22, lower corner angle 7 bars 24, and transverse and longitudinally disposed guide members 26 and 28, and top rails 30 all electric welded to provide 'a very rigid body or frame. Cross braces 32 disposed intermediate the height of the frame and preferably secured to the lateral longitudinal frame members 28, are used to support a false floor 34 upon which the upper flight of an endless conveyor 35 travels, according to conventional practice, the conveyor having a pair of laterally disposed chains and transversely disposed spaced scoops 38 which may be of any desired configuration, and the said end- 1 .ss chains are driven by sprocket wheels 40, indiin Figure 4, carried by a shaft 42, and there is provided at the upper end of the elevator a similar shaft M and a pair of sprocket wheels 46. The shaft 42 is driven by a sprocket wheel .48

which is in turn driven by a sprocket chain 50 and another sprocket wheel 52 on a drive shaft 54, and the shaft 54 is driven by a belt 56 and a pulley 58 connected to an electric motor 60. The electric motor 60 is supported upon the platform 62 carried by strap 64 welded to the frame it. In order that the endless conveyer shall be properly tautened, chain tightener assemblies 66 will be associated with the shaft 44 and the contiguous portions of the upper end of the frame.

In the drawings, the chain tightener assemblies B6 are represented as mounted on the lateral plates 68 of what will be termed the delivery head on the upper end of said frame. It will be clear from an inspection of the figures, that this delivery head includes a funnel portion Ill supported by the side plates 68, and the head plates I2 are made removable, so that bulky material such as baled hay and the like may be handled by the elevator. The funnel member Iii terminates in a collar l4 which has an annular groove to receive an inturned lip it of a supporting ring I8. This ring is represented a split and held in position on the collar E4 by means of a bolt or rivet 8!], and the ring has a spout 82' pivoted thereon as at 84. This construction allows the spout 82 to be shifted into a very large number of positions relative to the delivery head on the upper end of the elevator.

A carriage, generally indicated by the numeral 84 is provided to make the elevator mobile, and this carriage includes a pair of ground-contacting wheels 88 on an axle 9B, and the axle is rigidly secured to a rigid supporting member 92 which is, in turn, pivoted as at 94 on attachment plates 96 welded or otherwise properly secured to the sides of the frame intermediate the ends thereof. It will be understood that a plurality of these attachment plates 96 each with a pivot connection means 94 may be supplied so that the carriage may be selectively secured to the different plates 96 when it is desired to improve the balance of the elevator on the carriage by shifting of the carriage relative thereto, as when the delivery head plates and spout, and/or the hopper assembly 98, hereinafter described, are removed as when the elevator is being used for transporting bulky materials such as baled hay. In order to raise and to lower the delivery head end of the elevator, a Windlass assembly including a reel I44, ratchet wheel I82 and pawl I64, reduction gears I06 and a crank handle I08, is mounted on one side of the elevator frame, the pawl being preferably equipped with an operating handle II!) and the cable II2 being preferably wound double on the reel I36. The two parts of the cable IIZ are led through pulleys I I4 on the axle 98 and through other pulleys H6 which may conveniently be mounted upon the platform 62, the ends of the cable or cable parts are secured to the reel I09 and the axle 9G, and actuation of the crank handie I08 will cause the shortening or lengthening of the effective length of the cable H2 and the resultant pivotal action of the carriage raises and lowers the end of the elevator illustrated as to the right in the figures. The forward end of the frame is provided with end reinforcing angle members I I8 and nose plates I29, the hitch 54 being mounted thereon, and it will be noted that the upper portions of the nose plates I are apertured to receive a shaft I22 which functions as a drive shaft for an endless conveyor I24, this drive shaft being driven by a sprocket I25 and a sprocket chain I28 entrained over another sprockposition illustrated in Figure '3.

et wheel I30 on the shaft 42, while the usual complement of sprocket wheels I32 are provided on intermediate portions of the shaft I22 to directly contact the drive chains of the endless conveyor I24. It is preferred that chain tightener sprockets I34 and I36 should be provided to preserve the proper tautness in the chains I28 and the chains 50 associated with the main endless conveyor 36. The shaft I22 also functions as a pivotal support for the hopper assembly 98, and it will be noted that this hopper assembly includes an upwardly inclined portion I 44 and a normally horizontally disposed portion I42. The hopper is supplied with a center post structure I 44 adapted to contact intermediate portions of the top rails 38 of the elevator frame when the hopper is pivoted upwardly and rearwardly as when the elevator is being transported from place to place and hitched to an automotive vehicle If). It is thought unnecessary to describe in great detail the endless conveyor 24 provided in the hopper but it may be noted that it is driven from the shaft I22 and that two other shafts I46 and M8 with suitable sprocket wheels or simple rollers will be incorporated with the hopper and will coact with laterally disposed guide rails 150 to preserve the endless conveyor in proper positional relationship within the hopper, all as will be clearly understood from an inspection of Figure 4. The endless conveyor I24 will be provided with scoops I52 of any suitable character, and a chain tightener assembly may be provided for each end of the shaft I48, as illustrated at I54 in Figure Finally, it should be noted that the drive shaft 54 will be provided with a slip clutch I56 with a biasing spring I58 and an adjusting nut I56, so that an obstruction in the main elevator or in the endless conveyor I24 will allow the stoppage of the major portion of the moving parts of this machine, while allowing the electric motor 65 to keep turning, thus preventing injury to both motor and machine. The carriage has a cradle comprised of laterally disposed rigid members I62 carried on the axle and braced as at IE4, along with a transversely disposed cross member I66, indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2 and adapted to support the frame IS in cooperation with the rigid brace member 92. The upper ends of the members I62 form the sides of the said cradle and a brace I58 is connected to and between the rigid members 82 and I52.

The operation of this invention will be clearly understood from the foregoing description of the mechanical details thereof, taken in connection with the above recitation of the objects. In re- Capitulation, it may be added that the spout 82 and ring 18 will be conveniently stored, as indicated in Figure 3, on the top of the frame It, when the machine is in transit. It may be noted that the members I44 may be connected by a cross member Ill), preferably constructed of angle iron, and this cross member rests upon top rails 30 of the frame I6 when the hopper is in The false flccr 34 may be formed integral with vertical. sides I72 and it is preferred that this floor and sides construction should be provided in relatively short sections to facilitate replacement of damaged in use, without replacement of the complete floor and side members. Elongated runners I14, ordinarily constructed of wood, are secured to the false floor 34 and positioned so that top flight chain portions of the endless elevator 36 ride thereon, this construction having been found to greatly lessen the cost of maintenance of the machine. A rubber cushion I16, indicated clearly in Figure 4, is inserted on an inturned flange portion 113 on the lower end plate I89 of the main elevator structure, and this rubber cushion contacts the rearward lower side of the hopper when the same is in horizontal or operative position.

Obviously, many minor variations may be made in the exact construction and proportionment of the various elements of this invention without departure from the spirit and scope thereof. Accordingly, the scope of this invention should be determined only by a proper interpretation of the terminology used in the subjoined claims.

Having described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. A portable elevator comprising an elongated frame, a carriage having ground-contacting wheels on an axle, a rigid member connected to said axle and pivoted onan intermediate portion of said frame, extensible means connecting a lower portion of the frame and said axle to raise and lower the other end of the frame, a power driven endless conveyor substantially co-extensive in length with and operatively mounted on said frame, said carriage having a cradle including opposed lateral arms and a cross member secured to and between said arms, said cradle being rigidly supported with respect to said axle and said rigid member and adapted to receive an intermediate portion of said frame and to cooperate with said rigid member in supporting the frame on the axle when said extensible means is fully extended.

2. A portable elevator comprising an elongated frame, a carriage having ground-contacting wheels onan axle, a rigid member connected to said axle and pivoted on an intermediate portion of said frame, said carriage having a cradle including opposed lateral arms and a cross member secured to and between said arms, said cradle being rigidly supported with respect to said axle and said rigid member and adapted to receive an intermediate portion of said frame and to ooraised and lowered by actuation of said winch.

3. A carriage for a portable elevator including a frame, said carriage comprising ground-contacting wheels on an axle, a rigid member connected to said axle and pivoted on intermediate portion of the frame of the elevator, extensible means connecting the lower portion of the frame and said axle to raise and lower the other end of the frame, a cradle including opposed lateral arms and a cross member secured to and between said arms, said cradle being rigidly supported with respect to said axle and said rigid member and adapted to receive an intermediate portion of said frame and to cooperate with said rigid member in supporting the frame on the axle when said extensible means is fully extended.

CARL B. GRAHL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 649,992 Lee May 22, 1900 659,838 Adams Oct. 16, 1900 741,108 Camp Oct. 13, 1903 828,239 Otto Aug. 7, 1906 1,784,872 Hartman Dec. 16, 1930 2,387,189 Steinmetz Oct. 16, 1945 2,417,111 Jeoifroy Mar. 11, 1947 2,446,660 Mulkey Aug. 10, 1948 2,477,790 Farr Aug. 2, 1949 

